Her courage led to her death: after a year in Russian captivity, Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchina died. Moreover, immediately before his liberation.
Her main theme was the war: Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna, from the very first day of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, constantly risked her life to tell people in the occupied territories about their homeland. And she paid for her courage with her life: the 27-year-old woman died after 15 months in Russian captivity when she was transferred from a prison in Taganrog to Moscow. At the same time, she was close to her release: she was expected to become part of a prisoner of war exchange.
In Ukraine, her death was announced on October 10, and the circumstances remain unknown. A representative of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said that "according to the latest information, she was brought to the Lefortovo prison in Moscow to prepare for her return home."
Before that, Roshchina's family had received a letter from the Russian Ministry of War informing them that the journalist had died on September 19. Just six days later – on October 6 – she would have turned 28.
"In hell on earth"
Roshchina was captured not for the first time – as early as March 2022, she was detained from the southern Ukrainian city of Berdyansk by Russian forces. The charge is espionage. Ten days later, however, the young woman was exchanged for Russian soldiers and returned to Zaporozhye.
In August 2023, she disappeared again during a tour of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories and never returned. Her family lost contact with her on August 3, and for a year Roshchina was considered missing. It was only in May 2024 that Russia officially confirmed her detention and her residence on the territory of the Russian Federation. Until then, nothing is known about her fate.
The prison in Taganrog, where the journalist spent her last days, is a brutal place, says Tetyana Katrichenko of the Media Initiative for Human Rights. "They describe it as hell on earth. The soldiers who defended the "Azovstal" plants are mostly there. from Mariupol. Those freed speak of horrific torture." Roshchina was there from at least May to September of this year in solitary confinement.
"Russia killed her"
Roshchina's death shocked her colleagues and caused a wave of sympathy. According to Tetiana Kozak, editor-in-chief of the "Grati" portal, Victoria was brave and firmly held to her convictions. She was a talented journalist with a great professional future. During the war, however, she ignored her security, which is why she was captured, says Kozak.
"Vika was one of the most difficult journalists for me to work with. She took every correction personally. But whatever happened, she remained true to journalism. We couldn't stop her when she was up to something. Russia killed her, no matter what they say from there now," wrote Yevhen Buderatsky, deputy editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Ukrainska Pravda".
Dozens of Ukrainian journalists in Russian captivity
"We are deeply shocked by the death of Viktoria Roshchina and mourn with her relatives,", says Anya Osterhaus from "Reporters without Borders". "During the entire 15 months that the journalist was in prison, the Russian authorities never explained what the charges against her were. Despite repeated attempts by "Reporters Without Borders" and Roshchina's relatives had no signs of life," Osterhaus points out. The organization knows of 19 Ukrainian journalists who are in Russian prisons.
Oksana Romaniuk, the head of the Ukrainian Institute for Mass Information, spoke for her part about 30 Ukrainian journalists in Russian captivity. "Where is the exchange, the international community,", she asks in her post on social networks.
Roshchina was at the very beginning of her career, she worked as a journalist for six years – for "Ukrainian Pravda" and the sites "Novosti Donbasa" and "Censor.net", as well as for Radio "Free Europe". Considered a critical and determined journalist, for her articles on the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 she received the "Courage in Journalism" award presented by the International Women's Media Foundation.
Ukraine insists on an investigation into the death
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described Roshchyna's death as a "heavy blow". In addition, in a Telegram post, he reminded of the many other journalists, public figures and ordinary people who are still in Russian captivity.
Ukraine's chief prosecutor has opened criminal proceedings in Roshchyna's case, and the EU is demanding an immediate and independent investigation. The Community's Foreign and Security Affairs Spokesperson, Peter Stano, said the EU was deeply concerned by Russia's harassment, intimidation and violence against journalists covering events in war zones. "We condemn in the strongest terms the murders, physical attacks, arbitrary arrests, intimidation, harassment and surveillance that journalists are sometimes subjected to in the exercise of their profession.